The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-03-17
The Sources of Rivers.

Most people have probably heard the
story of the house in Ohio which is said
to be SO exactly balanced upon the
boundary line between the basins of
the great lakes and the Ohio river that
the rain falling upon one side of the
gable roof goes to join the St. Lawrence
and the ocean, while on the other side
it helps To swell a little brook that
finally mingleS with the Ohio and the
gulf. There is a more wonderful place
than This in India. Almost five hum
dred miles due west of Calcutta is the
Ammerkantak mountain, whichiS place
of great Sanctity in the eyes uf the Hin
docs, owing tu the remarkable fact
that ii is>the source of one III the large
rivers of India. and of feeders nf three
other rivers that are among the great
esI in the peninsula. The torrents that
flow down its sides travel To all the
cardinal points of the compass. The
Nerbudda, which fakes its rise here,
winds its way over eight hundred miles
Of plain before ii empties into the In
dian ocean. The three other great riv-
ers that are fed from Mount Ammer-
kantak are the Godavery. the Mahan-
uddy, and the Some.
The natives of India have great
reverence for the sources of a number
of their largest rivers, whose waters by
means of irrigating works are often
used in times of drought to nouriSh the
soil and prevent or mitigate famine.
The Godavery, the most important riv-
er in south India, takes its rise in Il
brook that issues from hillside near
the village of NaSsik. The spot where
this brook gushes from the rocks is APP.
preached by 4 flight of $50 stone steps,
at the top of which is a great stone
platform built at the foot of the rock
from which the stream issues. An
image under large canopy has been 50
placed that the water pours out of its
mouth and then goes sparkling down
the hill. From this spot the stream
flows, nine hundred miles right across
the peninsula. growing on the way into
a mighty river. and draining 1900
square miles. The source of the Coda
very is one of the sights of the Bombay
presidency.
Mr.. w. ID. Cooley, the geographer,
Alauo curious Dlunuef ABOUT lne uttl
stream of the Luapula river, which
unites with the Lualaba to form the
upper Congo. This stream is the
Chambesi. which empties into Lake
BangweOlO. Cooley, miSled by the
similarity in the names, thought the
Chambesi was the upper waters of the
Zambesi, and it appears on his map as
part of the Zambesi system 1t is an
Interesting fact. shown by the latest
discoveries, that the Chambesi, which
for some years has been regarded rs
the ultimate source of the Congo, must
now WELD To the Lualaba, which is the
real headwaterS of the mighty river.
One little stream. whose waters flow
from river 10 river until they finally
Join the Amazon, runs for ten or tif-
teen miles by the side of the sources
Of the great Paraguay. Though they
dow parallel to each other, and only
! two OF three miles apart, they run in
| opposite directions. Canoes are often
hauled across the intervening portage
and III this way it is possible for small
| boat TO travel from the mouth OF the
Amazon to Buenos Ayres along the
inland waters of South America, and
with 4 portage OF only two or thres
Gilsss<-&, J, SEsa -